The present invention relates to an instrument panel frame suitable for being fixed to the body-in-white of a motor vehicle cab. Besides, the present invention relates to a cab for a motor vehicle, which includes such an instrument panel frame. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for assembling such a cab.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,430A discloses a cab, for an industrial vehicle, which comprises a body-in-white including a firewall structure, for defining a lower forward portion of the cab. The firewall structure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,430A has two major openings. The cab of U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,430A includes a pedal panel which is attached to the cab body-in-white. This pedal panel includes a support plate for supporting the pedals subset of the industrial vehicle. The support plate is fixed directly to the cab body-in-white.
Yet, the cab design of U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,430A strongly depends on the cab specifications, in particular on the geometry of the pedal panel and of the body-in-white. Hence, the cab design of U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,430A hampers the adaptation of the pedal panel and of the different related subsets to other cab specifications.
Besides, the cab design of U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,430A induces a long, difficult process for assembling the components of the cab. Indeed, several subsets have to be positioned and fixed individually to the cab body-in-white. Such subsets include for instance the instrument panel subset, the electrical board subset, the electronic control units (ECU) subset, the subset for heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC), the dashboard subset, the steering column, the airbag subset etc.
It therefore appears that, from several standpoints, there is a room for improvement in the instrument panel frames of industrial vehicle.
It is desirable to provide an instrument panel frame which can be adapted to many different cab specifications, without changing the design of other components of the cab.
It is also desirable to provide an instrument panel frame that facilitates and shortens the assembling process of the panels and of the subsets they support.
A subject-matter of an aspect of the invention is an instrument panel frame, suitable for being fixed to the body-in-white of a cab of an industrial vehicle, the body-in-white including a firewall structure for defining a lower forward portion of the cab, the firewall structure having at least two major openings, the instrument panel frame including at least two supporting members and a linking member, each supporting member being suitable for supporting least one subset of the industrial vehicle, wherein:
each supporting member is attached to the linking member; each supporting member has a fixing interface designed to cooperate with a respective fixing area of the firewall structure, said respective fixing area surrounding at least partly a respective one of said major openings; and
the supporting members and the linking member are arranged so that each fixing interface cooperates with a respective fixing area, so as to enable the fixing, of the panel frame to the firewall structure.
Throughout this patent application, the term “industrial vehicle” refers to a vehicle suitable for transporting heavy loads or goods, for instance a truck hauling a trailer, a semi-trailer or a delivery van.
The “body-in-white” of cab is also known as the raw bodywork of the cab.
The “firewall structure” is also known as a front panel also known as an interface panel of the body-in-white. The firewall structure is arranged at the front of the body-in-white of the cab. When the cab is mounted onto the vehicle chassis frame and when the wheels of the industrial vehicle lie on a horizontal plane, the firewall structure is oriented in a substantially vertical direction.
The term “major opening” refers to an opening formed in the firewall structure and having a circular, a rectangular, trapezoidal shape or any other shape. A major opening is big enough to allow the passage of at least wire harness through the firewall structure. Basically, the shape of such a major opening is sized so that the smallest dimension (diameter, width . . . ) of the opening is greater than 150 mm and preferably greater than 300 mm.
Thus, such an instrument panel frame enables adaptation of its design to many different cab specifications, which avoids changing the design of other components of the cab. The cab specifications include for instance cab width, cab height, right- or left-hand driving, type of subsets borne by the instrument panel frame. Indeed, the arrangement of the supporting members can be adapted simply by changing their positions with respect to the linking member.
Besides, such an instrument panel frame enables a quicker and easier assembly of the instrument panel frame and of the subset(s) it supports, before fixing onto the body-in-white of the cab. Indeed, the linking member makes it possible to set, outside of the cab, the correct positions of the supporting members and of the subsets they support. Since the supporting members fixe the instrument panel frame to the body-in-white, the linking member does not need to be fixed to the body-in-white, say to the front side pillars.
Throughout this patent application, the term “subset” refers to a group of components or parts, which performs a specific function for the cab or for the industrial vehicle.
Throughout this patent application, the term “attached” means that two parts are attached either directly or indirectly. In other words, these two pans are attached to one another via zero (directly), one or more (indirectly) intermediate part(s).
In an embodiment, each supporting member is suitable for supporting at least one subset of the industrial vehicle, the subsets of the industrial vehicle being preferably selected among a steering column unit, a control pedals unit, a heating, ventilating and air-conditioning unit (HVAC), an electric control unit (ECU) or an airbag unit,
Thus, the supporting members may support at least two subsets of the industrial vehicle. It enables a quick and easy assembly of the instrument panel frame and of the subsets it supports, before fixing onto the body-in-white of the cab. Alternatively one support member may support at least one subset of the industrial vehicle whereas the other supporting member doesn't support any subset. In other words, the supporting members may support only one subset of the industrial vehicle.
In another embodiment, each fixing interface is designed to totally surround a respective one of said major openings, each fixing interface being preferably designed to fit on the periphery of a respective one of said major openings.
Thus, each fixing interface provides a firm fixing of the instrument panel frame on the firewall structure, which enables the instrument panel frame to support quite heavy subsets of the industrial vehicle.
In a further embodiment, the instrument panel frame includes adjustable fasteners for attaching each supporting member to the linking member with an adjustable distance between the supporting members.
Thus, such adjustable fasteners enhance the adaptability of the instrument panel frame to different cab designs.
In another embodiment, the linking member includes a profiled beam, preferably having a hollow section, and wherein the adjustable fasteners are designed to slide along the profiled beam.
Thus, such a profiled beam and adjustable fasteners enable the adjustment of the distance between the supporting members, which enhances the adaptability and quick assembling of the instrument panel frame.
The profiled beam extends along its entire length preferably in straight lines. In a variant, the profiled beam can also be curved. For instance, the profiled beam can be curved in the central portion whereas the end portions where are attached the supporting members can still extend in straight lines. The central portion can also be in straight lines but offset with respect to the the portions where are attached the supporting member.
In an embodiment, the linking member, preferably its central portion, is designed to support at least one subset of the industrial vehicle.
Thus, the instrument panel frame can support several subsets, say three, one for the linking, member and one for each supporting member.
In another embodiment, the fixing interfaces have similar shapes so that the supporting members can be interchanged relative to the major openings.
Thus, the possibility to interchange the supporting members enhances the adaptability of the instrument panel frame design to many different cabs. Indeed, each supporting member can be mounted on the body-in-white either on the left side or on the right side, irrespective of the subset it supports.
In a further embodiment, each fixing interface has a rectangular shape.
Thus, such fixing interfaces enable a strong fixing of the instrument panel frame to the firewall structure.
In another embodiment, the supporting members and the linking member are arranged so that the linking member is offset upwards from each fixing interface when the instrument panel frame is fixed to the firewall structure.
To be more precise it is the lower edge of the linking member that is offset upwards from the upper edge of each supporting member. Preferably, the upwards offset distance between the lower edge of the linking member and the upper edge of each supporting member lies in the range from 50 mm to 200 mm, and more preferably in the range from 75 to 10 mm.
Throughout this patent application, the terms “upwards”, “lower” and “upper” refer to a direction that is substantially vertical from the bottom-up when the instrument panel frame is fixed to the firewall, when the cab is mounted on the vehicle chassis frame and when the wheels of the industrial vehicle lie on a horizontal plane.
Thanks to the upwards offset and in particular thanks to the minimum value of the upwards offset distance (50 mm and preferably 75 mm), the linking member doesn't interfere with the steering column that extends inside the cab. In addition and when the cab has a doghouse recess (United States conventional trucks) or an engine tunnel, this upwards offset allows the linking member to not interfere with the doghouse recess nor with the engine tunnel.
When the upwards offset distance is below the maximum value (200 mm and preferably 110 mm), the linking member may be located very close to the steering column so that the overall compactness of the instrument panel frame and the integration of the instrument panel frame inside the cab are increased.
Besides, such an arrangement of the linking member enhances the adaptability of the instrument panel frame design to many different cabs, in particular to cabs having a doghouse recess (United States conventional trucks).
In yet another embodiment, the supporting members and the linking member are arranged so that the linking member is offset rearwards from each fixing interface when the instrument panel frame is fixed to the firewall structure.
Thus, such an offset arrangement of the linking member enhances the adaptability of the instrument panel frame design to many different cabs, in particular to cabs having a curved windshield frame. Indeed, where the linking member extends more towards the inside of the cab than each fixing interface, the instrument panel frame, in particular the linking member, will not interfere with the windshield frame or with the windshield.
Throughout this patent application, the term “rearwards” refers to a longitudinal direction that corresponds to the rearward moving direction of the industrial vehicle. When the instrument panel frame is fixed to the firewall and into the cab, the term “rearwards” corresponds to a direction that extends from the firewall towards the inside of the cab.
In a particular embodiment, a rearwards offset distance between the linking member and each fixing interface lies in the range from 100 mm to 600 mm, preferably in the range from 100 mm to 350 mm.
Thus, such a rearwards offset distance is adapted to most of the cab dimensions and thanks to that, it is avoided interferences between the instrument panel frame, especially the link member, and the windshield frame or the windshield. The preferred range from 100 mm to 350 mm allows a better overall compactness and integration of the instrument panel frame inside the cab.
In another embodiment, a wire harness extends along and inside the linking member.
Thus, the linking member also achieves the function of guiding and protecting the wire harness.
In a further embodiment, the instrument panel frame further includes at least two attaching arms respectively located between the linking member and each supporting member, each attaching arm being arranged to attach a respective supporting member to the linking member, each attaching arm being integral either with a respective supporting member or with the linking member.
Thus, such attaching arms enhance the adaptability of the instrument panel frame design, because changing the form and length of these attaching arms suffices to compensate for any change in the cab dimensions, while keeping the same fixing interfaces on the supporting members.
According to some other variants:                The supporting members and the linking member can be made either of metal or of plastics.        The supporting members can be attached to the linking member by clipping, by flanges, by welding, by shrinking or heat-shrinking or by any equivalent means.        The supporting member is a metallic plate or is made of drawn metal sheet        The linking member can have elastic properties.        The instrument panel frame can also include vibration dampeners affixed to the linking member, for instance on its side ends. The dashboard panel could be fastened to these vibration dampeners.        
The invention also relates, according to an aspect thereof, to a cab for an industrial vehicle, comprising a body-in-white including a firewall structure for defining a lower forward portion of the cab, the firewall structure having at least two major openings, wherein the cab further includes an instrument panel frame, the instrument panel frame being fixed to the firewall structure.
Thus, such a cab can be assembled quickly.
According to advantageous but optional features, considered on their own or in any technically feasible combination:                The supporting members and the linking member are arranged so that the linking member is offset from each supporting member according to a direction that extends from the floor towards the inside of the cab and that is substantially perpendicular to the floor of the cab. The floor of the cab is substantially a horizontal surface when the cab is mounted onto the vehicle chassis frame and when the wheels of the industrial vehicle lie on a horizontal plane.        The offset distance, between the linking member and each supporting member lies in the range from 50 mm to 200 mm, preferably in the range from 75 mm to 110 mm according to the direction that is substantially perpendicular to the floor of the cab. In other words, when the cab is mounted onto the vehicle chassis frame and when the wheels of the industrial vehicle lie on a horizontal plane, this offset distance can be measured in a substantial vertical direction between the lower edge of the linking member and the upper edge of each supporting member.        The supporting members and the linking member are arranged so that the linking member is offset from each fixing interface according to a direction that extends from the firewall structure towards the inside of the cab and that is substantially perpendicular to the firewall structure.        The offset distance, between the linking member and each fixing interface, lies in the range from 100 mm to 600 mm, preferably in the range from 100 mm to 350 mm according to the direction that is substantially perpendicular to the firewall structure. In other words, when the cab is mounted onto the vehicle chassis frame and when the wheels of the industrial vehicle lie on a horizontal plane, this offset distance can be measured in a substantial horizontal direction between the linking member and each fixing interface.        
Besides, an aspect of the invention relates to a method for assembling, the method including the steps of:
a) suspending onto a temporary structure at least two supporting members, preferably equipped with at least one subset of the industrial vehicle;
b) attaching the linking member to the supporting members, so as to form said instrument panel frame;
c) fastening components to the instrument panel frame, like dashboard components and dashboard panel;
d) removing the instrument panel frame, equipped with said components, from the temporary structure;
e) arranging said supporting members and the linking member so that each one of said fixing interface cooperates with a respective fixing area; and
f) fixing the instrument panel frame to said firewall structure of said body-in-white.
Thus, such a method enables a quick and easy assembly of the cab.
These and other features and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description in view of the drawings appended thereto, which represent, as non-limiting examples, embodiments of an exhaust device according to the invention.